Demographics

With a population of 54,224, Harrisonburg is the largest city in the Shenandoah Valley and the second largest on the I-81 corridor in Virginia. The Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area (Harrisonburg and Rockingham County) population is 133,959. Two universities are within the city limits – James Madison University, with an enrollment of 21,227 students, and Eastern Mennonite University, with an enrollment of 1,870. Just outside the city, Bridgewater College has 1,800 students, and Blue Ridge Community College adds 7,315 students to the area.

Harrisonburg’s growth rate and total population have outpaced the region.

While student growth at the local colleges and universities has propelled population growth, the number of student residents in the city can skew income data. The University of Virginia’s Weldon Cooper Center for Public Service analysis of demographic data in college towns reveals how students can alter the poverty rate and median income levels of a jurisdiction. A report on the study can be found at:news.virginia.edu/content/uva-study-college-students-skew-small-town-poverty-rates.

The links below provide a comprehensive demographic picture of Harrisonburg from a variety of sources. For customized data or any other questions, give Harrisonburg Economic Development a call today.

Facts and Figures 2015

Facts and Figuresprovides a statistical overview of the Harrisonburg Metropolitan Statistical Area, compiled by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission.

Regional Data Center

The Regional Data Centerprovides a comprehensive collection of data compiled by the Central Shenandoah Planning District Commission. The website allows users to view individual municipality data or compare municipalities in the Shenandoah Valley.

"Harrisonburg provides an ideal context for the highly technical work we perform for the U.S. Government. We are ideally located next to many excellent colleges and universities, which provide exceptional talent, and close enough to DC and Northern Virginia that we can conveniently interface with our customer and partners. To me, it comes down to quality of life. Our employees have very short commutes and there are a plethora of activities in the area that suit almost every interest."

--Michael Goertzen, Senior Program Manager, Serco

2016-09-01T13:33:27+00:00

--Michael Goertzen, Senior Program Manager, Serco

"Harrisonburg provides an ideal context for the highly technical work we perform for the U.S. Government. We are ideally located next to many excellent colleges and universities, which provide exceptional talent, and close enough to DC and Northern Virginia that we can conveniently interface with our customer and partners. To me, it comes down to quality of life. Our employees have very short commutes and there are a plethora of activities in the area that suit almost every interest."

http://harrisonburgdevelopment.com/testimonials/2639/

"As Rocco considered options for our expansion, we were pleased with the partnership that Harrisonburg Economic Development provided as we worked our way through plan reviews, permit approvals, and inspections. It was helpful to have an ombudsman guiding us through the process. We are excited that we have the opportunity to continue to grow and invest in Harrisonburg."

-- Fontaine Canada, President, Rocco Building Supplies

2016-07-01T14:10:24+00:00

-- Fontaine Canada, President, Rocco Building Supplies

"As Rocco considered options for our expansion, we were pleased with the partnership that Harrisonburg Economic Development provided as we worked our way through plan reviews, permit approvals, and inspections. It was helpful to have an ombudsman guiding us through the process. We are excited that we have the opportunity to continue to grow and invest in Harrisonburg."

"We are grateful for the opportunity to develop our innovative artificial intelligence solutions in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. The strategic location we have here in Harrisonburg allows us to bridge an alliance with other high tech communities within the region. We are honored to work with this incredible team of professionals and look forward to partnering with the local business community and academic institutions as we expand our operations.”

-- Sven Brueckner, CTO, Convergent AI, Inc.

2016-07-07T18:22:53+00:00

-- Sven Brueckner, CTO, Convergent AI, Inc.

"We are grateful for the opportunity to develop our innovative artificial intelligence solutions in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. The strategic location we have here in Harrisonburg allows us to bridge an alliance with other high tech communities within the region. We are honored to work with this incredible team of professionals and look forward to partnering with the local business community and academic institutions as we expand our operations.”